


The  Dark Librarian

by englishrose2011



Series: Dark Librarians [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014), The Librarian (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Excalibur, Leonard Snart Lives, M/M, Prison, Serial Killer, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-08 07:50:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11642166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: It all started with the burning of the  Daughter library in the temple of Serapeum furing the burning of the Great Library of Alexandria  and the creation of the first Librarian and Guardian. But the arrival of the Waverider, and a newly returned Leonard Snart and his partner Mick Rory at this moment in time lead to complications no one expected when they return back to Central CIty in  the present, especially when Leonard vanishes.This story is currently a stand alone story, but might develope into a series later depending on the muse.************************************************************************************************** This story is inspired by "where Angles fear to tread" and it author Nirejseki  creation of a serial killer Leonard Snart AU, and his relationship with Mick who he sees as the  "Angel" who rescued him.After he sacrifices himself he is brought back and while recovering hiden on the Waverider he sees how badly Mick was treated, he exacts revenge only to have the crew brought back to life by Gideon and now has the Spear of Destiny, as a present to Mick he takes him to see the Library of Alexandria burn. Which is when my story begins .....





	1. Daughter library in the temple of Serapeum

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nirejski thank you for allowing me to use your Leonard Snart AU.](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Nirejski+thank+you+for+allowing+me+to+use+your+Leonard+Snart+AU.).



> Thanks to my beta reader Beradine025 for all your hard work. 
> 
> Excalibur is the sword given to Arthur by the lady in the lake.  
> Cliburn is the sword Arthur pulled from the stone. But in the Librarian films/ series, it is Excalibur that is shown in the stone, so I am going to use that. 
> 
> Fenix - Latin for Phoenix
> 
> The Spear of Destiny is in the Library films, for this instant that has been ignored and instead it was found by the Legends.

**Alexandria, Egypt 270 AD**

 

The Library of Alexandria was burning, the sky was thick with flames and smoke, and with those 400.000 scrolls, and the culmination of all knowledge was burnt to ash.

 

 Librarians and scribes were seen fleeing the library trying to carry their precious cargo to safety as they struggled to avoid the invading army.

 

But even as it burned, its Daughter library in the temple of Serapeum was fighting for its life, the warrior priestess, a middle aged woman in white robes splattered with blood, and smeared with black soot, fought one of the invaders.

 

Already the floor was littered with the body of his comrades, but they both knew that she would not live to leave the temple. The man was an experience legionnaire and his skill was equal to hers, unlike the other men he had not underestimated her, he knew about the warrior priestess. The Roman managed to avoid her thrust, as she over  reached in her attack, he twisted avoiding the blow, then he stepping in closer his sword slicing into her body, she shuddered, staggered back, her legs buckling and she fell heavily to the floor.

 Standing over her he said, "you fought well, die well." He raised his swords to make a killing thrust when he suddenly was pulled backward off balance, and fell sideways landing heavily, before he could catch react; a sword took off his head. In his place stood one the scribes, the librarians had run, yet this scribe has stopped behind to try and protect the library, in his hand a bloody sword he stared at it as if not believing what he had done.

 

The priestess tried to cry a warning, but all she could do was bring up blood, but it was too late anyhow, the sword blade  erupted out of his chest as he was stabbed from behind, and blood sprayed from his mouth, and he toppled over as the blade was jerked from his body.  He shuffled forward a step and then he fell, his body landing on top of her their blood joining together on the floor in a widening pool as he gasped his last. It was as her eyesight faded that she saw it, a beautiful crested bird with a red and gold plumage of flames, she gave on last shuddering breath a name, Fenix and the temple exploded into a bright light and she knew no more.


	2. Central City Present Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard Snart is Missing and Mick Rory even resorts to using Team Flash to find him. It's then help comes from unexpected source.

1747 years later…… 2017 Present Day

Central City 

Mick Rory was worried sick about his partner of 25 years Leonard Snart. They had just gotten back from their last mission with the Legends after Len had survived the Oculus, and three days later he had gone out for a drink and pizza and vanished. Now it was well onto three months since he had last seen him and during that time in in desperation he had called on the Flash for help. Remembering all too well the kid's puppy dog eyes when he had begged Len to help him catch a serial killing Meta, then again when he asked for their help against an evil speedster. 

The kid owned them and now it was time for to payback, and to his surprise the Flash or Barry Allen, the kid couldn’t keep his identify secret to save his life, had been on board straight away. It seemed that the kid thought of Len as some sort of undercover good guy, undercover because of because he still did heists, but he was a hero because of his time with the Legends. And not forgetting the fact he could offer up some good leads on the local serial killers, which had resulted in several arrests, since Central City had become the serial killer capital of the country. Now the kid was worried that Len had become a victim.

But Mick wasn't worried on that score, he had found out the truth one night, when he had decided to follow Len and find out once and for all what he got up too. Now Len most of the time seemed to think that sex was something that happened to someone else and thank you very, much he would prefer a cuddle, a massage or a back rub. 

Now there were certain times when Len seemed to be on twitchy, shying away from his touch, now if Mick hadn't know him so well he would have thought he was an addict going through withdraw. But he knew how much Len hated drugs, so that wasn't the answer, Len would leave the house like that only to return hours later, all the hard edges gone and he would drag him to bed, for earth shattering sex, not that he minded, but it was puzzle he needed to solve. 

So when he had entered the alley and seen what Len was doing he had been almost speechless, Len was a serial killer, there was no getting round it. Finally he had said "if the next words out of your mouth are "This isn't what it looks like. I'm going to yell." Instead of yelling he had stood there listening to Len explain but the thing that had stood out as the words had washed over him, was how surreal it had been when he had asked why Len kept killing people. 

His partner had sounded puzzled "Is this going to be a problem," as he waved at hand at the dead body, as if he couldn't understand why there would be a problem. 

Mick couldn't remember all that he had said to Len then, other than telling him that he loved him, that was the one thing that stood out, and of course telling him to come home safe. 

When Mick had entered their apartment, he had gone straight to the cupboard and pulled out a bottle of bourbon from the top shelf. He was more a Scotch drinker but had given in up in a heartbeat when he realized that Len's abusive father had drunk the stuff by the grateful and some of Len's worse beatings had come from when his father was deep in the bottle. He sank down on the beaten up couch and took a long pull and savored the burn, sitting with the bottle in his hand, picking at the label deep in through. He knew that Len was a killer they had both killed in self-defense and in protection of each other, but this? What was he going to do? He could tell the police about Len, tell them his partner was a serial killer, and see him on Death Row, but knowing some of the pigs, Len would get a bullet in the head, he could see them now. "Yeah, we had to put him down, too dangerous, pulled a gun on us." Or he could take Len in and he would be put in some insane asylum, in a straitjacket, drugged up to the gills with drugs, as his brilliant was turned to mush. He took another shot of the bourbon, or there was a third way, the more he drank, the more he liked it, he could control Len, give him rules, because he sure as hell wasn't going to see him dead or rotting away. 

0-0-0-0-0 

The alleyway.

Len finished up as quickly as possible, Mick understood, his angel understood, and had told him that he loved him. They didn't often say it, because neither of them were good with words, his angel would never leave him, but Mick has sounded different, to begin with unsure, but then he had reassured him that nothing had changed, as if anything could ever change between them. Even so, he had hurried home to Mick; he paused just inside of the door of the small cramped apartment. He didn't think that his angel would leave him and that he would come home to an empty room, but he still felt a shiver of fear. He didn't honestly didn't know what he would do if his angel, his savior was gone.

But there was Mick sat on the couch, a bottle of bourbon on the floor and a beer in his hand, he had a nice buzz going by the look of it. 

"Mick," he said the name carefully, his hand gripping the bag in his hand, as if unsure of his welcome. Then Mick had looked up to him, 

"Come here Lenny," his voice had been gruff, but when he had reached out to him, his touch was gentle, and Len had come willingly. Their love making had been intense, it was the first time they had fucked straight after a kill, and the things that Mick had said and done, had given Len a high that had nearly matched that of the kill. Later he had closed his eyes and slept wrapped in his partner's arms, a feeling of being safe and protected swept over him and he slept well. 

0-0-0-0-0-0 

The Present

Mick left Star Labs after his latest update on the search, so far there was no evidence that Len had been arrested, or imprisoned in Iron Heights, or that any agency was holding him and that included ARGUS. Even the hospital, morgues and dark site doctors had turned up a blank. His mood was dark, his fingers itched for his lighter, and he clenched his fist to resist the temptation. He knew that he was holding on by the skin of his teeth, if Len was dead, he would see the City burn, along with the people that had killed him. He thrust his hand into his pocket, he frowned instead of a lighter, when he pulled his hand out it was wrapped round a stiff rectangle of card. Frowning he was just about to throw it away when he paused. "What the fuck."   
In his hand was a Central City Library Card, nothing unusual in that, except he sure as hell never joined any library. Whoever had planted the card on him had to have had fast hands because he never saw them or felt the plant. He thought of the Flash, but he dismissed it almost straight away that wasn't the kid style to play jokes when Len was still missing.   
For some reason he never knew why, he went straight to the library; the place was built on one floor, with small squat pillars and a low flight of wide steps. He pushed the door open and automatically scoped out the CCTV cameras. He walked towards the young girl sat at one of the customer service pods, busy typing away at her computer. She looked up saw him and quickly looked back down again, and kept typing. 

"Miss," Mick said she looked up at the gruff voice. 

"Can I help you, Sir?" The poor kid looked as if she was going to make a run for it. 

"I’ve got this card," he handed it at her. 

The girl scanned it into the system, and she seemed to relax slightly. "You have a Quiet Study Room booked Sir, number 5, the third one on the left," and more or less pushed the card back to him, rather than risk handing it to him. Mick nodded and went over to the room, opening the door and stepping in and it was as if the whole world tilted on its axis.


	3. Island of Lian Yu

The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

The prison was a fortified building away from the main Lian Yu Prison, the prisoners lived in filthy rat infested cell blocks, only taken out for back breaking work in the swamps, the food was vile and sickness was rife. Queen might have shut down the main prison after the Flash’s trouble with the pipeline prisoners, but this he kept open for the worse of the worse. 

Leonard Snart knew the prison break was over the moment that the white searchlight hit him, and he heard the guards yelling at him, he threw up his hands in a half crouch, one hand trying to shield his eyes from the burning light. He never saw the rifle butt that came at his head until the last moment and pulled his arm back to try and protect his face, the butt smash into his forearm, he gave a cry of pain as it broke. Another blow between his shoulders sent him crashing down to his knees. 

The Chief Warden walked through the circle of guards and looked down at him, "Snart," he said the name with deep loathing. "Show him the errors of his way boys," he lit his cigar as he watched what was to come with a satisfied smile. 

All Len could do was pull himself into a ball, trying to protect himself from the beating he knew was coming. His last conscious through was that his angle would come, Mick would come and they would all perish in a firestorm of flames and retribution. 

0-0-0-0-0  
24 hours later.  
The cane slashed Len's back, as the prison overseer counted out the punishment for trying to escape, cutting into him from right shoulder to left hip, and then on the back hand from left to right. His legs buckled, and he pulled down hard on his broken forearm from where he had been tethered to the pole, the scream he tried to bite back was torn out of him and he blacked out. 

Half naked, Len was cut down, and dragged into the box. The box was too small for a man to lay down in, and too low for a man to stand up in, on the floor was one bucket for waste, and a plastic 2 litre bottle of water and nothing more. He was dropped onto the beaten earth floor and the door locked behind him. 

Slowly his eyes open, the only light came from a crack under the door, already the metal roof of the box was starting to heat up, and by the mid-day, he knew that he would be boiling. He reached out his good hand, and snagged the bottle of water that the guard had left near him, it was not nearly enough, but it would keep him alive. He curled up, cradling his injured arm against his chest. His mind fixing on only one thing his angle would come, Mick had always come for him, and he would come for him again. 

Closing his eyes, he remembered back when he had been a child, his father had brought him on a job to the outskirts of the city, standing over him as he had made him kill the man tied up on the ground. His father’s words “don’t make him suffer boy, make it a clean kill.” ringing in his ears. 

This wasn’t the first time he had killed for his father, he was eleven after all, but when he did it right, his father didn’t take a belt or fist to him, and left Lisa alone, so he did it right. All he knew was that his father had dumped him afterwards, and told him to make his own way home, as he took off with some made men. So he had started the long walk home, walking aimlessly down the country roads heading back towards the lights of the city. 

It was then he had smelt the smoke and had come across a house on fire; his angel in the form of an older boy had been standing outside watching the flames with his hands outstretched as if becoming one with them. He had known what he was looking at, this was an angel, purifying the house with its flames, the angle had turned to him, his voice washing over him as he had laid his hand on him, gently, telling him his name. Len had understood then what a great gift he was being given, the name of his angel… Michael. The angel hadn’t asked for his name, he didn’t have too, he would have already known it. Up until then it had been the hardest thing he had ever done was walk away from his angel, but he had known deep in his heart that he would meet him again.

Later he had been saved by the angel in juvie, only he had been deemed worthy of being saved among all the 335 boys behind bars. He was pulled out from his dreams by the pain and the heat as the sun rose higher in the sky, he took another drink, and another, before putting the cap on the bottle. Curling in on himself, Len tried to block out the pain and raging thirst by concentrating on Mick, his Mick. 

When Mick had discovered his serial killer persona, his angel had taken it in his stride, making up rules that he expected him to live by. No pizza that's what Mick called his killing, no pizza when they played supervillain against the Flash. No Pizza for Team Flash, since they had helped them with Lisa, after Lewis had put a bomb in her head. 

Of course it wasn’t as if he could stop killing, it never worked out well for him if he stopped for too long. But Mick had given him a set of rules to live by. He could hunt down and kill other serial killers, and use his own preferred method as long as the body bound up in rope after death were burned to ashes. Mick had been adamant on that point, his heat gun making sure that there was no trace left for the police to find. 

The first day in prison, that prick of a warden had said that Mick had turned him in, and he was the reason he had been hauled off to this hell hole. But he knew the man lied, Mick would never betray him, never, never……..


	4. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mick moves one step closer to finding his partner.

Central City Library 

Mick looked round him, "what the fuck," he breathed, instead of a room, it opened up into a large area with two impressive desks, and a large planning table, looking up he saw steps leading up to a gallery of book shelves. It was then he heard a polite cough, turning he saw a man and a woman in the doorway. The man was in his seventies, receding hair and a hangdog face, wearing a suit, the other was a dour woman, in a cardigan, holding an automatic in her hand pointed straight at him, she looked like she could use it. 

"Mr. Rory, so pleased you could join us, you found the card I see," it was the man who spoke. "My name is Judson, I am a librarian, and this is Charlene my guardian." 

"I never knew being a librarian was that dangerous," Mick said looking at the gun. 

"We do have our moments" Judson drawled with a ghost of a smile then his face became serious, "It will help your partner if you hear us out." 

"You know where Len is…" he started forward only to pull up when the gun came up, aimed straight at this face. 

"All in good time," the woman, Charlene said, her voice was cool and refined, 

Mick pushed his temper down, and looked round the room, and past the man and woman, to what looked like a long corridor. "What kind of library is this because it sure as hell not the one I just left?" 

"First things first, if you will come with us Mr. Rory, this." Judson said as he indicated the door. 

0-0-0-0-00 

Mick fell into step with Judson, Charlene walking a couple of paces behind them, it seemed the old bird didn't trust him, but soon she was forgotten as they walked through one of the weirdest libraries, he had ever seen, Len he knew would get a blast out of it. 

It had strange collections not just books, but artifacts; he had just walked past a large sword embedded in a rock when he was sure he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He just managed to duck out of the way in time as the sword scythed towards his head.

"Excalibur no," Judson ordered, as he spun round faster than a man his age should be able to move in time to witness the attack. The blade moved in the air in what looked like a lethal dance, but kept its distance. 

"My apologies Mr. Rory, Excalibur has been rather restless since Flynn has been away and he has been looking for a new sparring partner and with you being a new… err well … um...”

"Spit it out Judson," Mick demanded. Judson gave a soft sigh, then addressed the sword  
"You can't play with Mr. Rory yet until he is officially a Guardian and Mr. Snart is back with us as and instated as a Librarian", the sword tipped and twirled before flashing back and imbedding itself into the stone. 

"Len a Librarian," Mick gave a soft whistle it wasn't that Len wasn't smart enough; he was a genius when it came to planning heists, security systems and he was always reading his art magazines and technical journals. But a Librarian… no way. But then these two didn't exactly fit the bill, and who the hell had a magic sword. It was then he heard a fluttering and it was a flying book coming between the stacks, it was leading a whole flock of them. 

"Nothing to be concerned about just the Sociology books migrating south, now where was I." Judson asked.

Mick shook his head, he was right; Len was going to love this place. "So Len's going to be a Librarian? He said only to be cut off in mid-sentence.

"Ah, we have rather got ahead of ourselves; “Judson said as he opened the door into a cozy office, and waved him to take a seat. Judson continued, "this Library Mr. Rory, was the daughter Library of Alexandria in Egypt, which was situated in the temple of the Serapeum, during the attack and…" 

"The fire, burned the Library down, losing the knowledge of the ages, what was it 40,000 to 400,000 scrolls," seeing the looking Mick grinned "I know a good fire and that one was outstanding." 

"You sound as you were there Mr. Rory." Judson's lips twitched into a smile "but of course the Waverider and Captain Hunter…..humm…" 

"Len took me there as a present, he gives the best ones." Mick smirked. 

"Of course Mr. Rory and as you said it was outstanding" 

"Mick, call me Mick, Mr. Rory was my old man," he said, then paused before adding, "why do I get the feeling that you and the lady where there." Judson exchanged a look with the woman and shrugged, but he looked impressed. 

"Yes, Mick we were there, I was a scribe at the Daughter Libraryand Charlene was a Priestess. The Library was not just scrolls it was a living powerful force."

Mick's mild whirled "that was 1745 years ago, and somehow I don't think you had a time machine." Seeing the look he added, "talking 27O AD, Aurelian's invasion, right." 

Charlene raised an eyebrow, "what makes you think it wasn't Caesar."

"No, they would not have burned it again if he had done a good enough job the first time, and most people think that was an accident any how " Mick mused.

Charlene exchanged a look with her Librarian, and seeing his nod, everyone they had spoken to about Mick Rory had said that he was the dumb muscle to Snart's genius, but that has been all wrong, it seemed to them you underestimated Mick Rory at your peril. 

Judson continued, "When the daughter library was attacked we were both perished protecting it and its knowledge, it was then we found that the library was not just of books, but the home of the Fenix, the Phoenix. It entered our bodies and we like the Fenix emerged from the ashes." 

He paused "no skepticism Mick, you surprise me." 

"I've seen a lot of things on the ship and with the Meta's at Central, so why not. But that doesn't explain why you want me and Len." 

"A fair question, when we were brought back we could feel the bond with the Fenix, but it was also stretched, and we knew then there was another Librarian and Guardian inhabiting it. But the feeling was soon lost, but it left us with the knowledge that we would find you both and that you would return to the Fenix and the library. But it was only three months ago that we felt the pull again."

"The Oculus power," Mick said, "Len died saving the future blowing up the Oculus, and then somehow he got back, don't know the whole story yet, but he was pissed off with the crew and ….." Mick trailed off…. "Any way he decided to make it up to me and took me to see the Library burn. Gideon the AI seemed to think he had absorbed some of the power from the Oculus when Len handled spearmint." He gave a shrug "that's Len's name for the Spear of Destiny, I thought then that the Oculus power some remains of it clung to him and helped him when he used it."

Judson sounded shocked "he calls it Spearmint." 

Mick couldn't help but give a chuckle when he saw the scandalized look on their faces.  
"Yeah and pets it like it was a cat." He added rubbing it in

Charlene rallied, "All that said and done, the power he absorbed would have acted as a flare for the Fenix, and enabled the bonding at our end at least when you went to Alexandria, when you jumped back into the time stream it stretched it to breaking point and to protect its self it went dormant. But as soon as you time jumped back into 2017, the bond snapped back into place and the locked onto Snart the moment he set foot back into the present.

It was the Fenix which placed the card in your pocket, it was only this morning that we understood what it was doing. It is now time to pass on the mantle to another Librarian and Guardian, and it wanted you here and now."


	5. Rescue

48 hours later  
The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

Len could hear the screaming and shouting, then explosions, the door to the box was pulled off and stood there back lit by the flames was his angel, in his hand a sword which pulsed with fire. 

"Mick…" Len croaked his voice rough and scratchy.

He reached out with his good hand, and then Mick was pulling him up a strong arm wrapped around his waist, holding him close. 

"Mick," he tried to cry out, as he saw the guard closing on them gun raised, But Mick just threw the sword in the air, instead of falling it spun, deflecting the bullets as the guard fired at them, then in the same heart beat it launched at attack on the man, a severed head rolled across the beaten earth to be stopped by Mick's foot. 

"Time to leave Lenny," 

"What……………..That."

"Excalibur's got a mind of its own, Boss, and it's protective." Mick grinned, his partner was back by his side, it didn't matter for the minute that he was hurt, and there was time for that later, now they just had to get back to the door.

"A friend for……. spearmint." Len croaked out, wishing he could reach a hand out and touch it, something drew him to it. 

"Only you can name the Spear of Destiny, Spearmint but yeah, I am sure he will like it, Boss." 

Len didn't really remember later the fight out of the prison compound, it was a mass of explosions and flames painting the night sky red and creatures out of a nightmare. A huge eight foot, snow white creature tore the head off one of the guards in a plume of blood, the flash of the spinning sword, a lizard the size of a house, breathing white hot flames, back handing a jeep with a sweep of its clawed paw. It was almost too much for him to take in, then an explosion sent them staggering and his broken arm connected against something hard and unyielding. White hot pain and then nothing as his body closed down.


	6. A time to heal

The Library  
Charlene directed him to take Len into one of the small bedrooms that lead off from the main passage way, pulling back the blankets off the bed so that Mick could lay his partner down. 

Stepping back he carefully watched the two of them work, Charlene‘svoice showed her anger as she recited a list of the injuries that Len had suffered. Suddenly for Mick it clicked, Charlene was a Guardian and her anger was that of a Guardian for an injured Librarian, it didn't matter that it wasn't her Librarian, it was an injured Librarian. 

"We need to get Len to a doctor," Mick started to say, "I know a few that…."

Judson cut Mick off in mid sentence "If you can get the Caduceus for me, Charlene," then he added for Mick's benefit, "it is the healing staff of Hermes." 

The older woman returned with it in her hand a few minutes later, seeing the look of doubt on Mick's face said, "The staff will not harm him, it is used to heal. But he will experience a high fever as it burns the sickness out of him and heals his wounds, so he will need to rest.”

She placed the staff upright at the top of the bed into a slot, so that its shadow was cast over Len from head to feet, she then began to chant, her hands moving over Len without touching him in an intricate pattern. 

As Mick watched a white smoke began to seep from the staff, moving down the bed, covering Len's body, in a wave, that slowly spilled onto the floor but went no further than the shadow of the staff. 

"There is nothing here that will hurt him remember that" Charlene continued, placing a hand on Mick's arm trying to comfort him, as Len began to writhe, his body arched as the smoke curling around him and under him, forcing its way into his mouth, his feet drumming on the bed, then as quickly as it started his body sank loose limbed back onto the bed.

"Magic," Mick guessed, reaching out a hand but letting it drop short of Len, as Charlene's hand tightened on his arm in warning, as she said.

"You cannot touch him until this is over, and the magic in the smoke has been returned to the staff. Remember this is very old Magic Mick and has to be respected." Just then Len arched again, gurgling screams the only sound he could make as his finger nails dug into the bed, ripping the sheet he was lying on into shreds. But Charlene hand on Mick's shoulder centered him as she continued.

"I am sorry Mick, but it has to be this way." 

"How long will he be like this?" Mick didn't even attempt to hide the dismay in his voice. 

"A day possibly two, but it will heal him," she tried to reassure him.

"Yeah right," Mick drawled, as he dragged one of the chairs right near the bed, so it was only just clear of the shadow. He had to keep telling himself that these people had helped him rescue Len from a living hell, and we're helping his partner heal, it was more than he could ever have imaged when he had come to the library. But he was well aware there was always a price, and just because they hadn't made any demands yet, didn't mean they wouldn't but he could worry about that later when Len was conscious. 

As if reading his mind Judson said, "I suggest we continue this discussion when Mr. Snart is ready." 

0-0-0-0-0-0

Later Judson entered the room, he had a battered army duffle bag thrown over his shoulder and was carrying a pot of coffee in the other. Charlene followed him in with a tray, with cups on it as well as more sandwiches and a small mound of honey combs oozing richness, and a jar of liquid.

It was Charlene who explained. "The mead in the jar has additional herbs added to it, which will help dull the pain as his body heals, make sure he drinks one cup every two hours, once the smoke had left his body. We will leave you now, your find clothes for Mr. Snart, a razor and hair clippers in the duffle." 

Once the door had closed behind them, Charlene turned to her Librarian. "Well do you think that they will accept the offer when we present it to them? The temptation to steal from the library is going to be great, they are both career criminals." Seeing his look she added, "I am playing devil's advocate here, it's my job." 

Judson nodded,"There are layers to Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory, which I think is going to be interesting to uncover, I believe that if they give their word they will honor it. We can offer them the thrills of the heist, the rush they crave, and the chance to pit themselves against the most difficult of security systems in the name of the library. By saving Mr. Snart we are showing our good faith. I just hope that is enough."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Mick heard a gasping and wrenching and was on his feet, as Len struggled to breath, as the smoke poured from his mouth, immediately he was by Len's side,but Charlene's words held him back, instead he tried to reassure Len as he struggled to breath "easy boss, you're going to be okay," he said as the smoke was pulled back into the staff. Len's body sank back down on the bed, gasping and coughing only then did Mick scoop his partner into his arms supporting his against his chest. 

"M … mick," Len began to cough again, as a small trickled of black smoke came from the corner of his mouth, leaving him weakling clinging onto him.

"M…. Mick." There was a plaintive cry to Len's voice that punched ever protective button Mick had, with more gentleness that many would give him credit for, he carefully peeled Len's hands off him only long enough to climb onto the bed, pulling Len in close, tucking him under his chin, as Len wrapped his fingers into his shirt again. 

Being careful not to dislodge him, Mick poured a cup of the mead, coaxing him to drink, he partners skin was icy cold, and he was shivering now, as he pressed his face against Mick's chest, turning away from the cup. 

"I am right here Boss, I am not going anywhere, and you're safe now, but you need to drink this." Slowly Len turned his face back, and to Mick's relief he began to drink, before curling into him and going to sleep. 

All through the following day Mick woke Len up every couple of hours and coaxed him into drinking the mead and eats some of the honeycomb, and other tastier morsels that Charlene and Judson left for him. Finally when Len could keep his eyes open without exhaustion dragging him back down into sleep, only then did Mick allow himself to believe that he was going to make a full recovery. 

It was then that Mick went to the bag and came back with a pair of clippers in his hands. Len didn't pull away as he clipped away the long hair that had grown during his imprisonment. With each clump of hair that fell on the floor, he could feel the tension began to ease from his partners body. 

Mick had remembered the story Len had told him. How his father had beaten him down, when he had closely cropped his hair, ending up in hospital for that show of independence, and how he kept doing it regardless of his punishment. Cutting his hair being the only thing he could own, his own person act of defiance. Once the last strand of hair hit the floor, Len had finished eating, it was then Mick had shaved him, and by then Len was fighting to keep his eyes open, and soon he was asleep again, resting in Mick' s powerful arms 

0-0-0-0-0   
The next morning 

The Librarian and Guardian knew better than to just enter the room without announcing themselves. Judson knocked on the door as Charlene entered with the breakfast tray, which she put on the table. 

Leonard Snart was not only awake, he was sitting in the armchair with Mick looming behind him; the big man held the heat gun resting in port against his shoulder. Instantly the older man and woman knew that it was now a totally different game, since Snart was now backing in play, and they would have to deal with him. 

"I am pleased to see that you are recovering from your ordeal Mr. Snart. I think now is a time to talk. We have an offer that you might be interested in. We would like to employ you and Mick." 

"Were not heroes or…" Len began with what they would later recognize as a Central City slum drawls his exhaustion making it worse. 

"Or Legends," Judson finished for him and then he continued after a pause, "instead we offer you the chance to be a Dark Librarian and Guardian. As such you will be returning to the library artifacts that have been stolen, and which would cause untold damage if they were allowed to remain in private hands." 

"Were thieves, what's to stop us from stealing from the Library and selling them on the black market?" 

"Mr. Snart, we are aware of the fact you betrayed the Flash at Ferris Air, and the reason why. As for him, believing you killed that man because he owed you money, speaks of his naivety," Judson said. "The truth is that we can offer you both a chance to steal the most priceless artefacts, from the most difficult security systems in the world; you have already undertaken not to kill in return for a deal with the Flash." 

Snart raised a hand, "No, not quite right, we reserve the right to defend ourselves…….." he paused, "innocents are off limit……other criminals not so much." 

"My correction Mr. Snart, but what we can offer you both is the ultimate challenge. We are asking you to put your skills to a better use, unlike the Legends and the Flash we are not asking you to change who you are, you will allow you to do your own planning, you may use whatever artifact you wish from the library and recruit your own crews. But the artefact must be brought here for storage, anything else you can keep. After all, we don't expect you to break into a candy store and steal only one gumball." 

Len tilted his head slightly, as he acknowledged his own words parroted back to him. 

"How many librarians are there?"   
"Librarians of the Dark, Mr. Snart, you are looking at them, other Librarians of the light, we have a Senior Librarian Flynn Carson, since then we have added three others. Each of them was invited to interview for Librarian when Flynn was accepted, but for some reason never attended the interview. So we decided to extend the invitation again, they are Jacob Stone, Cassandra Cillian and Ezekiel Jones, their Guardian Colonel Eve Baird a former NATO agent." 

"Then why do you need us." Len drawled. 

"Because it is time for us to retire from the Dark, and the other librarians are good, but they have a certain moral code which prevents them from taking the course of action needed for some of the artifacts. Whereas you," Judson fixed Len with a look, "have certain flexibility in your moral compass that will allow you to act when they would hesitant. The world that we inhabit as a Librarian is dangerous and just being good does not guarantee success. We will give you time to think it over, if you say no, you are free to leave the library if you say yes, a new chapter in your life will be opening up, one which I am sure that you will not regret." 

0-0-0-0-0 

The door closed behind the older man and woman, and only then did Mick lower his heat gun. "Well what do you think Boss?"   
"Show me a bit more of this library, when you came for me, I thought I saw." 

"Yeah you did." 

Len raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief. "A flying sword, an abominable snowman, and a dragon?" 

Mick grinned broadly, "Boss you are going to love this place."

He moved quickly as Len got to his feet, and swayed, a big hand cupped his elbow supporting him.   
Len’s gut feeling was to pull away, if it was anyone else he would have broken their hand for touching him, but this was Mick, and he allowed the big man to steady him, knowing that it would not be seen as a weakness. 

0-0-0-0-0 

Later from the gallery, Judson watched the two men moving into the library. "Do you think they will commit?" Charlene asked as she joined him. Judson didn't turn round, he just continued to watch them. 

"I believe that they will for fill their destiny, and take over from us. Mr. Snart and Mr. Rory have the potential to be among the best." 

"Mr. Snart is a cold blooded, ruthless killer, and if it wasn't for his love and devotion to his sister I would think he was a" she broke off and leaned a little further over the rail, "tell me that's not Snart petting Excalibur." 

Her answer was an amused chuckle from her partner.


	7. A time to bleed

Five Days later The Prison on the Island of Lian Yu

The shadow form detached its self from the gloom, and moved up smoothly behind the prison warden, the first thing he knew was when a hand wrapped round his mouth and he was pulled backward.

 

Len's father had many violent and destructive faults including physically abusing his children, but the one lesson that Len had learned well was to never cause pain when he killed, to make it fast and as painless as possible. He hissed into the guard's ear, making sure he knew exactly who was going to kill him, before sliding the knife in between his ribs into his heart.

 

Later he sat back on his heels looking at the carefully wrapped corpse, only to feel a hand on his shoulder, as Mick grounded him, he didn't resisted when Mick drew him to his feet and pulled him against him and away from the body.

 

Only then did Mick raised the heat gun, and pulling the trigger turning the body into ashes. By the time the guards responded to the fire, the two of them had stepped back through the door of the library and vanished.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Mick could almost see the energy that was running through his partner, the minute they were in the bedroom, he was caught and pushed up against the door, and his face pulled down into a bruising kiss, as he wrapped his strong arms round Len, he gentled the kiss into something tender. Before leading Len over to the bed, stripping him slowly, and then taking him apart piece by piece, as they made love, before building him back again.


	8. Welcome to the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions are asked and answered.

The next day Charlene looked up from the report on her desk, where she had been discussing a future artifact with Judson, to see Len leant against the door to her office, "Tell me more?" he drawled as he entered with Mick following behind him closing the door.

"Well it all started with the Fenix, Mr. Snart…..So, If you die as a Dark Librarian, then Mick will burn your body, the ashes will then form into a cocoon, and when it breaks open you will step out of it. That Mr. Snart is the power of the Phoenix.

The process of rebirth is painful, and for that reason your Guardian is there to protect you during that time. You are immortal, Librarian and Guardian together, but immortality is not just for the two of you, the Phoenix knows of your sister,” she saw Snart’s gaze darken and added smoothly “you have nothing to fear from that, as long as you are a Dark Librarian she will be immortal as well. You will all age but so slowly that you will seem not to change."

“What if Lisa married, what about her her husband and children.”

  
“The immortality is extended to them, the children would age normally until they reach 21 then they would age like their parents.”

"What if Mick or Lisa are killed?"

"There immortality is through you the living embodiment of the Fenix, so they will heal and then awake, the time between death and rebirth will depend on how badly injured they are.” She paused, “you have more questions Mr. Snart, please continue.”

Once finally when all questions had been put and answered, she watched as the two men left her office, and leaned back in her chair, now it was up to them.

0-0-0-0-0-0

The discussion between Mick and Len went on a long into the night, but Len was adamant that they could do nothing until he had spoken to Lisa. Mick wasn’t keen for Len to leave the Library and its protection, so he had volunteered to collect her and escort her back, while Len had a chance to learn more about the Library and its history, exploring on his own.

Lisa's eyes grew wide as she looked around the Library, and then turning a corner she saw him and threw her arms round her older brother hugging him tightly, and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "So you're alive Jerk."

"Can't kill me that easy Train wreck."

As the two of them smiled, she took his arm as he led her to the room he had been sharing with Mick, and began to tell her all about the Library, the Fenix and the immortality, it was hard for her to take in, but then after she saw the migrating books, Excalibur and the golden goose, and no Lisa you can't have her as a pet, she became a believer.

Lisa sat in a place of honor as she watched the Fenix work its magic. Mick sat next to Charlene, in his tank top, she in her short sleeved blouse, she wrapped her smaller hand round his wrist, and closed her eyes chanting as the tattoo which covered her from wrist to elbow began to slowly move down her arms like molasses. The colors swirling and rolling off her fingers and onto Micks then up onto his arm. It was more painful than any tattoo he had ever had, but Mick sat there watching almost breathlessly as the vivid art work slowly etch its self onto this skin, covering the burns on his arm.

Once it was completed, Charlene was left pale and shaky; as she looked towards Judson, he had removed his shirt and tie, and Snart his sweatshirt. Her Librarian stood facing Leonard Snart; he placed both his hands on the younger man's shoulders and began to chant. The ink began to pour off his hands and over Len's shoulders and down his back, disappearing under his clothes. His body bucked and shuddered as the ink work was etched onto his skin, any of his old tattoos were removed without a trace as the phoenix would allow no other to claim its territory on Snart's body.

Old as he was, Judson caught hold of Len as he staggered forward a step as the pain washed over him, steadying him, until, with a deep, shuddering breath, Len raised his head and looked him straight in the eyes, and Judson saw that the Fenix now lived in the other man.

"Welcome to the library Librarian Snart,Guardian Rory." 


	9. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len's kidnappers face a private justice and from that is born a new team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To read about what happened on the waverider please read   
> "Where Angels Fear to Tread by Nirejseki this was the story that inspired my story and the author was kind enough to all me to take Serial Killer Len and run with it.

 

One week later The home of Barry Allen

 

Barry came awake with a start and sat up in bed to see Leonard Snart sat in the chair opposite his bed, legs crossed, hands resting in the lap, the cold gun resting on his knee.

"Thank God you're okay, we were so worried, when you just vanished and…." Barry trailed off, when he saw the puzzled look that flickered on Snart's face. Suddenly with a sickening through Barry knew that something very wrong. "What happened?"

 

"You didn't know?"

 

"Of course not, I've been going round all your haunts, I think I've checked every safe house at least four times, and I've been through the family compounds just in case."

 

"You really care Scarlet." Len drawled, his head tilting slightly to one side thoughtfully.

 

 Barry couldn't help but smile, "Of course, Len, so what happened."

 

"I was being held on the Island of Lian Yu, if it wasn't for Mick I would still be rotting there."

 

"Bastard." Barry snarled, and then added quickly, "not you, the Arrow, that's his private dumping ground for prisoners that he wants to, keep under the radar. I told him to stay out of Central City and close that facility down. Felicity told me it had been done, they lied." He paused then added "So what are you going to do Len…….. And how can I help."

 

The kid Len mused was priceless. “Oh I have few ideas to but chill their blood,” and when he smiled, he was surprised to see it matched by the one of  Barry’s face.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

 One Month Later The Hub at Star Labs

 

Felicity Smoak was stood at the hub, asking Team Flash for help, "Oliver and Sara are missing; it's as if they have vanished into thin air, you have to help us." She paused, looking round the faces of Team Flash, Cisco the usual chatterbox, was looking at this desk and not meeting her eye, Caitlin's mouth was a tight line and she was gripping her pen tightly.

 

"I don't understand didn't you hear me, Oliver and Sara are missing, her father and the rest of Team Arrow are keeping the lid on Star City for the moment, but once they know the Arrow is missing, it's going to be all out war."

 

Barry came in from the pipeline, "Let's get this right Felicity, the Arrow a serial killing vigilante is missing.

 

"Barry where is this coming from," Felicity sounded shocked, as she added, "you know that Sara and Oliver are the good guys, here."

 

Barry huffed as he exchanged a look with a somber faced Caitlin, "You know Felicity, we learned after Ferris Air that it was wrong to hold people without a trial, why didn't Oliver learn the same lesion."

 

"But he closed the prison." Felicity protested but she looked away as she said it.

 

"No Felicity, he closed the main prison, but kept the black op site open, and turned it into a hell hole. As for Sara, we are talking about a professional assassin. Somehow assassin makes it sound more respectable when in reality we are talking about a stone cold killer, who killed people for money, pure and simple. A woman who could slit someone's throat for a payday." Barry paused, "I know my hands are not clean, people have died but I sure as hell learned my lesson. …………. But you don't want to hear that you want to know where Oliver and Sara are……. There in the pipeline, no trial, no day in court, no exercise, just artificial light, living in a small cell." He breathed hard taking a steadying breath, "that's where we put killers isn't it. "

 

"I need to see Oliver, this is stupid Barry" Felicity started forward only for him to block her. His voice was cold.

 

"No Felicity, no family visits allowed, no contact with the outside world remember, that's the rules that Oliver had at his prison."

 

"Please, Barry, what's wrong with you." "Leonard Snart." Barry said levelly.

 

 "I don't understand." Felicity looks round her at Team Flash and saw the stern faces.

 

"Len gave his life to save the world, did you know that, and through more luck than design he made his way back. While he was away, Mick was left to the tender mercies of the Legends his crew mates, who treated him like dirt, and didn't seem to care as long as he was the muscle they could rely on to do their dirty work.

 

If Len hadn't come back, he could have killed himself, it was that bad. And Felicity Sara was the Captain it was her responsibility to look after him, and she didn't bother. So Len and Mick left the Waverider and came back to Central City, only Sara couldn't leave Len alone." Lighteng was playing round Barry as the speed force responded to his anger as he continued.

 

"These two sterling examples of good citizenship had Len kidnapped and transported to Oliver's private prison. He was missing for three months and all that time, Team Flash were looking for him. Hell,  Felicity you even offered to help me find him, that was so good of you.”  The sarcasem rolled off Barry’s tongue, he paused, and took a steading breath, “At what point did you find out he was being held in the black op prison. Do you know what they did to him, he was flogged, beaten and starved."

 

"He's a killer," she protested.

 

"Felicity, his body count is lower than Oliver's and Sara's; he's not in their league. Remember you told me that Oliver was going out to torture a man, a single father because he thought he had information he needed or have you forgotten that. How you had to tell him how wrong it was, before he could see it"

 

"Barry is he, is Snart controlling you, is he blackmailing you." Felicity said, not answering Barry’s question not wanting to be reminded of that.

 

"No, I just found that the man who saved this world, saved our future and helped the CCPD catch five serial killers was left to rot to death by a hired killer and serial killer, by the biggest load of hypocrites that I could ever have believed in. Great role models the three of us…. Right."

 

"What are you going to do, Barry?" Felicity asked.

 

"Well that rather depends on me." The drawl was unmistakable. Leonard Snart entered the Hub and,protectively at his side was Mick Rory.

 

"Keep cool Overwatch, getting hot under the collar will not get you very far." Len said with the signature smirk, and we have things to discuss. He stopped in front of Felicity. "Now I will let them go, but……. They stay out of Central City and Team Flash is now mine."

 

Felicityshook her head "this is insane, Barry. Sara and Oliver have done a lot of good and….”

 

"Don't care," Len tilted his head to one side. "Those are my terms, and my team agrees." It was only then that Felicity realized that while Cisco had been quieter than normal, and Caitlin was pale faced nether of them had protested when Leonard Snart had called Team Flash his."

 

"I'll speak to Oliver, may I see him now."

 

Len stepped to one side, "Oh and Overwatch, make sure that Sara understands that any thought she might have on trying to remove me and Mick from the timeline, is a real bad idea as Gideon no longer recognizes her as a member of the Legends crew. Her flight privileges have been revoked" Then, with a nod to Mick he turned on his heels and followed Felicity into the pipeline, with Mick shadowing him, flanked by Barry.

 

Just then Joe West had arrived, standing back as he watched Snart and Rory disappear down the pipeline. Part of him wished that they had them locked away down there, but he had learned his lesson. It had frightened him how easy it had been going down that slippery slope when he had readly accepted illegal imprisonment and transportation as the only course open to him. He could argue it was Harrison Wells influence, but it was he who had gone to the DA and asked for help. Later it had worried him how easy it was for Barry to come to him and seriously believe that the police would give them an escort, without questioning the rights and wrongs of it.

 

Afterwards he had blamed Snart for Ferris Air, after all he had betrayed them, but in reality the man had done the right thing and it was hard to admit that to anyone. He remembered as he stood there what Barry had told him last night.

 

"Joe, you have to understand, Oliver and Sara, had no right to have imprisoned Len, and Felicity knew about it, you know she gave me the whole runaround. But, what we did was nothing compared to that Prison."

 

"But……." He had tried to protest but Barry had quickly interrupted him.

 

"But nothing, Len was beaten, starved, flogged and they tried to  sexually assaulted him, Mick told me, that place Joe was a hell hole. Oliver created that prison and didn't even bother to supervise it properly, and that was the place we would have sent those people if Len hadn't stopped us at Ferris Air."

 

"Barr you can't work with a criminal, the city."

 

"I am still protecting the city, and I am not going to commit any crime, and Len is going to keep on helping me catch the serial killers and help out with the metahumans, remember he was doing that before he joined the Legends. But if Len tries to pull any heists, I'll be there to stop him the only difference is that I am not going to take him or Heatwave in, I am going to leave that to the CCPD. Joe if you can't trust Len, then at least has some faith in me."

 

At that moment, with Barry he had seen the passion of Henry Allen, and the compassion of Nora. He could see that Barry was not in danger of going to the dark side. His thoughts turned back to the present as he heard footsteps and looked up to see Oliver, Sara, Felicity and Barry coming out of the pipeline with Len and Mick following behind them.

 

Barry was saying, "I think it's time you left Central City, if you come back without an invite, and then I am going to make sure that the CCPD, gets to know you, really well. I believe there are still warrants out on you both for murder. Cisco explains it to them."

 

Cisco cleared his throat, "Felicity, don't even try to hack our system, Gideon, the AI from the Waverider had been working on an encryption, and she will answer only to Barry. The encryption holds information on all Sara and Oliver's kills, down to the last man and woman. If you made a move on Barry and Team Flash, and he coughed, "Snart and Rory, it will upload all your files and their real identity to the FBI, NSA and ARGUS, a very sophisticated dead man's handle."

 

As Oliver opened his mouth, Barry cut across him, "and my files is with yours, I go down with you, just because people see us as superheroes, doesn't mean we can do whatever we want. Now I think you should go."

 

Sara stood tall, “Snart is a serial killer, can’t you see that, on the Waverider he…”

 

Barry intrupted her “Snart helps catch serial killers, he’s not one, I asked Stein, Jax, Ray about what happened on the ship and none of them back your story Sara, even Gideon can’t do that,  theres no proof that he hijacked the ship and killed you all. But there is proof of the way you all neglected Mick, so just go and don’t come back.”

 

Barry watched them leave the Hub; he knew that life would never be the same again for them all. He would go to Team Arrows aid if they needed him and later he would make sure that Felicity knew that. Perhaps they could build up some sort of rapport again, but time would tell.

 

It was then he heard Snart's purring drawl, Joes indigent reply and Rory's gruff laugh, he just knew this wasn't going to end well, with a shake of the head Barry turned to the newest members of Team Coldflash, as Len insisted on all it.

 

“No Joe you can’t shoot Len, and Len you can’t,” he flashed over in time to stop Joe getting cold feet in more ways that one, as he heard the cold gun whirl into life.

Life had just gotten really interesting.

 

The End


End file.
